New at the Soda Fountain: Pepsi-Cola!

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In my several recent articles, Coca-Cola has stood in the Victorian spotlight. Other beverages made their own nineteenth century splash in the market. Pepsi-Cola also made its debut in the America’s Southern Soda Fountains.

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Kola-Pepsin was not the same thing as Pepsi-Cola, but the name is surprisingly similar. Evening Star of Washington, District of Columbia, on July 1, 1899.

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Cox’s Soda Fountain Lists Beverages. Pepsol. Bolivar Bulletin of Bolivar, Tennessee on Aug 16, 1901.

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Vintage Pepsi-Cola image on a tray currently for sale in an Etsy shop.

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1896: Pepsi-Cola is Born at New Bern Soda Fountain

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This history of Pepsi-Cola, as printed in Statesville Record and Landmark of Statesville, North Carolina, on July 21, 1961, is a bit difficult to read. So I’ve carefully transcribed the relevant first half of the article. See the paragraphs below.

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PEPSI-COLA, ORIGINATED BY NEW BERN DRUGGIST, NOW NATIONWIDE DRINK

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In the early 1900’s, many soft drinks were sold as patent medicines. They promised to “cool the blood,” “tone the stomach,” relieve headache, dyspepsia, sleeplessness.

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North Carolina’s Caleb (“Doc”) Bradham abandoned this idea and promoted Pepsi-Cola as simply “delicious.”

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He had started “Brad’s drink” in New Bern in 1896 in his own drugstore, much as the Halls made Cincolade in Statesville about 30 years later.

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In 1903, “Doc” registered a name for his drink–Pepsi-Cola, the first popular soft drink sold in big bottles for half the price. “A nickel drink worth a dime” became the slogan and Pepsi became a national drink. Today there are more than 500 plants in the United States and Hundreds more in 99 other countries of the world.

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~ Statesville Record And Landmark of Statesville, North Carolina, on July 21, 1961

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Announcement: Pepsi-Cola Company Chartered by C. D. Bradham. Published in The Atlanta Constitution of Atlanta, Georgia, January 1, 1903.

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Trademarks Registered for “Pep-Kola” and “Pepsi-Cola” by C.D. Bradham of New Bern. Announced in The Morning Post of Raleigh, North Carolina, April 11, 1903.

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The History of Pepsi-Cola

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“History of Pepsi” was printed in Corvallis Gazette Times of Corvallis, Oregon on April 8, 1959. Interesting! We can’t forget the 1890’s, North Bern, North Carolina, and Caleb Davis Bradham and his cola-based drinks that he thought he could improve upon. His beloved cola was first known as “Brad’s Drink” (named after Bradham, of course), then eventually became known as Pepsi-Cola.

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1 of 2: Corvallis Gazette Times of Corvallis, Oregon on April 8, 1959.

2 of 2: Corvallis Gazette Times of Corvallis, Oregon on April 8, 1959.

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Bradham’s Pharmacy, Circa 1900. Image: Courtesy of Pinterest.

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The New Bern pharmacy of Caleb Bradham, with a Pepsi Dispenser. Image: Courtesy of Wikipedia, creative commons license.

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Vintage Pepsi-Cola advertisement on a tray, currently for sale on Etsy.com.

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Pepsi-Cola: Medicinal Value?

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Numerous vintage advertisements tout the health benefits to be had by drinking Pepsi-Cola.

For example:

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Advertisement: “Have You Indigestion PEPSIKOLA The Tonic Digestants Will Cure You.” Tablets with the oh-so-similar name claim to be medicine. No wonder Bradham filed for a trademark to protect his product name! Published in The Elwood Free Press of Elwood, Indiana, March 13, 1902.

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No harm there, though, because Pepsi-Cola also advertised itself as a dyspepsia (indigestion) remedy:

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“”Pepsikola” and “Pepsi-cola” stimulate the stomach to do its own work by increasing the flow of gastric juice and saliva.” A dyspepsia remedy, absolutely guaranteed. From Springville Journal, Springville, New York, February 5, 1903.

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Advertisement in Goldsboro Daily Argus of Goldsboro, North Carolina, January 13, 1903. “PEPSI-COLA is the best soda fountain drink and the healthiest. Helps digestion and relieves headache and exhaustion. Ask your soda fountain man for it. 5 cts. at fountains.”

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Advertisement for Pepsi-Cola, from Goldsboro Daily Argus of Goldsboro, North Carolina. January 5, 1903. “Healthful and refreshing, Helps digestion.”

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The Daily Journal of New Bern, North Carolina, January 18, 1903: “Pepsi-Cola, Healthful and Invigorating. Cures Nervousness, Relieves Exhaustion, Promotes Digestion. 5c. At soda fountains.”

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Pepsi-Cola: Patent Medicine?

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You may recall that Coca-Cola began as a patent medicine. A headache-specific. It’s a good thing Pepsi-Cola jumped on that bandwagon, too. (See the headache-cure ad, above.)

But what about Pepsi? This vintage article claims that while Pepsi-Cola is not a patent medicine, it offers a whole range of medicinal benefits. Read on!

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